


Katrina

by Joe_Reaves



Series: Sylum - Empire Records [1]
Category: Empire Records (1995)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Angst, Hurricane Katrina, M/M, Natural Disaster
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-14
Updated: 2010-04-14
Packaged: 2017-10-08 22:40:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/80234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joe_Reaves/pseuds/Joe_Reaves
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joe and Lucas try to survive Katrina.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Katrina

**Author's Note:**

> Set in B J Jones' [Sylum](http://www.sylumclan.com/) Universe.
> 
> Co-written with [Lucas](http://verito295.livejournal.com/)

Giles and I have nearly finished making sure that all the freshmen and sophomores in our department are safely on the evacuation busses the university provided. The last bus pulls up and my Sire hands me my backpack.

"It's your turn Lucas, you've done all you could here, and it's time to be evacuated with the others." I look at him like he just sprouted twin horns from his forehead.

"Giles am I not going to be taken away like all the other students. I need to go back to the Manor and make sure Joe is all right. You said that Nick has opened the doors to all our Chosen Ones in New Orleans. I can help there; I don't need to be shepherded away like a lost puppy."

And especially am I not leaving Joe alone right now, with my luck he's going to want to make sure the new location for the store is all right.

Unfortunately Giles doesn't seem to agree, "The hurricane is too close, you are not going to make it back in time and Joe is at the Manor, he's most likely in a better situation then us. Just get on the bus Lucas, I am not letting you go all the way back by yourself on that deadly machine you insist on calling a motorbike."

Well then he better be prepared to physically dump my ass on the bus and tie me to the seat because there is no way I'm not going to do my damn best to reach my mate, well my future mate.

"Sire, I'm going back to be with Joe, I'm sorry but there is nothing you can do about that apart from physically dragging me with you." I try to sound patient and I am sorry I have to push the issue so much but I am not going to be evacuated to some unknown area where I won't be able to do anything to help and where I'll be entirely too far from Joe.

With a sigh Giles takes off his glasses and rubs the bridge of his nose, I can recognize defeat when I see it.

"I promise Giles I will call you the moment I get to the Manor and in case anything happens I'm pretty positive I'm wearing at least half a dozen tracking devices right now. I swear I'll be careful."

Before he can say anything else I give him a quick hug, grab my backpack and make a run for my bike. By the time he actually manages to mutter something that I can't hear even with my vampire senses, I'm already pulling out of the university car park and on the way back to the Manor and to my Joe.

*

Nick has opened the doors of Sylum Manor to all the Chosen Ones in New Orleans along with their friends and family. There are a lot of people milling around with wide eyes and jaws that have dropped so far they're going to trip over them if they're not careful so this is obviously the first time many of them have seen the Manor and in the case of some of the friends and relatives the first time they've ever encountered vampires too. Everyone here is pitching in and setting up beds, finding clean bedding, feeding our new guests and such. It's hard work, but it's the least we can do. Already the wind is howling outside and the rain has started falling, but people are still arriving. I wish I knew how Lucas is doing, but I'm not too worried as he's with Giles, helping with the evacuation of the University.

I'm finishing setting up one of the families in a guest suite when Artemus calls me. He hands me the phone and then disappears again. I stare after him and then put the phone to my ear.

"Hello?" I say and am pleased to hear Giles on the other end, at least until I hear what he has to say.

"What do you mean?" I ask. "Lucas is with you. No, no, no. Why would he do something so stupid? Fuck!" I promise Giles I'll talk to someone and hang up on him.

Grabbing Tony as he rushes past I tell him that I just spoke to Giles and that Lucas apparently decided to come back here. On his own. On that damn death trap he calls a motorbike. And he left over an hour ago.

Tony looks dismayed but gestures to the weather. "There's nothing we can do about it now other than hope he had the sense to look for shelter. You can go and look for him when it calms down, but until then you stay here. If I have to get Gibbs and go looking for you too I'm not going to be happy. I mean it Joe." I sigh and regretfully agree with him. Going out now would in all likelihood get me killed.

By the time the weather is controlled enough for anyone to venture out at least half the clan is about ready to kill me. I have been driving them all insane, pacing, ranting and generally not waiting at all patiently. The second it's clear enough Nick gives me the keys to a 4x4 and one of those inflatable speedboat things – I manage not to call it that because letting the Clan know I've never really used one before would be the absolute last straw and they wouldn't let me go. Fortunately, they're all fairly distracted by the complete chaos and even though the storm has left, two of the levees have just started to give way so they're trying to organize some help for that. I get in the car and speed off. According to the GPS locators Lara has apparently planted on my lover he is about a mile away from his bike by now so I assume he's taken shelter and head for his location.

*

Next time I have a brilliant plan I should really remember to smack myself in the back of the head and listen to my Sire and Joe. The hurricane is getting closer and both wind and water are coming down so hard I can barely make out the road and I'm soaking wet. I know the turn that'll take me towards the Manor should be somewhere close by but there is no way I can see it and my bike is not going to last much longer in this onslaught. I finally concede that the best thing I can do right now is to look for shelter and wait Katrina out before starting towards the Manor, and my Joe, again. I don't like the idea but at this point I have no choice.

I stop at the side of the road trying to figure out where to look for cover when a minivan slows down and comes to a stop right by my side. A woman in her early thirties, her hair dark and tied back, rolls down the passenger window and yells at me over the winds and the rain.

"Get into the car kid; this is no weather to be out with a bike. Our house is just half a mile up the road, you can stay with us." I hesitate for a moment, but she is right so I drop my bike to the side, praying it'll still be there once Katrina has passed but not expecting it too much, and get into their car.

For a moment I feel like I'm deaf when I step into the vehicle such is the noise of the storm outside. Sitting huddled together in the middle seat are two young children, a boy and a girl, probably about seven and four respectively, and, in a baby seat, an infant, a year old at most. The man at the wheel, their father I assume, puts the car back in drive and we are off towards their house. Once we are moving the woman turns towards me.

"What were you thinking? Driving a motorbike in this weather, you should be with your family somewhere safe and not in the middle of the road. The worst of the hurricane is nearly here and it would have swept you and that bike of yours away like twigs. We were out only because we had to make sure my sister and the kids had evacuated since her telephone wasn't working. My Gawd, where are my manners? I'm Sarah Boudreaux , this is my husband Leroy, our boy Dalton, the little princess is Bethany and that's baby Annabelle."

Impressively enough I think she said everything without taking a singles breath. "I'm Lucas, I'm a student at LSU, I was trying to make it back home but the hurricane hit before I could get close enough."

I know it sound sort of lame but I can't very well explain to them that I had to make sure my mate, my male mate at that, was ok. I smile reassuringly at the scared looking kids and keep quiet for the next ten minutes, when we finally pull up to a small two-story house built in brick that looks quite sturdy.

Everybody gets ready for the dash between the car and the door and I offer to carry little Bethany, while Leroy picks up the boy and Sarah swaddles baby Annabelle in a blanket before running out of the relative shelter of the minivan. Once inside the house Leroy leads the way to their laundry room. They have already outfitted it with blankets, flashlights, water and some food and it doesn't have any windows, hopefully we'll be fine here until Katrina has passed. I'm worried about Joe and I'm sure he's a lot more worried about me if Giles called the Manor and found out I'm not there. My cell phone got soaked within the first 10 minutes of the storm and there's no way to get it to work, the land lines are down and I really have no way to let anybody know I'm ok. Dammit, I'm going to be seriously in trouble for this one.

We spend the next couple of hours talking about anything and everything, I tell them about New Jersey, my studies and my friends and Sarah tells me the story of their family, how they have lived in New Orleans for generations and how her grandfather built the house over fifty years ago all by himself. As the hours pass I start telling stories to the children, from fairytales to my latest lecture about Native American lore and to all the unusual vampire legends Giles had me researching. Ironically for two scared squirts they really seem to enjoy the vampire stories and the time seem to go a little faster. Finally the noise outside quiets down a little and Leroy and I venture outside to check what is going on.

The landscape that greets us is surreal, the house is on top of a small rise and all around us is water, Katrina has probably damaged one or more of the levees; they must have collapsed and the lake is now flowing in, rushing to fill the void. There is no way to evacuate now and the only thing we can do is move to the higher point and hope somebody will come to rescue us before the water gets too high. Hopefully Joe will start looking for me soon and once again save my ass. One day we are going to have to sit down and see if we can figure out a way to break this pattern we seem to have. We rush back inside since the water is rising fast and grab everything we can before heading up to the roof.

*

Unfortunately heading for Lucas' current location isn't as easy as it sounds. To start with, the levees have broken in places and the whole of central New Orleans will soon be under at least 6 feet of water. While it's dry now I can't risk getting caught in it or I'll be the one that needs rescuing. Which means I have to drive around the outside of New Orleans, making the trip a lot longer than it would have been. Add to that the sheer amount of debris scattered across, and in some cases blocking, the roads and this is going to be a journey I won't forget for a very long time.

Lucas is driving back; I think as I dodge what looks like part of a roof at the last minute, vampire reflexes would come in very handy right about now. It takes me about an hour to get to the place I'm planning on leaving the car – hopefully it will still be here when I get back, but if not I showed Nick where I was planning on parking so that he could send someone to get us if something happened to the car. This is what is known as a back-up plan, one of those things that Lucas never bothers with, of course in order to have a back-up plan he'd really need an original plan and he doesn't usually have one of those either.

I'm really very worried about Lucas by now, anything could have happened to him and while I know it's very unlikely that he would be killed he could be trapped or badly hurt. I've parked on a hill, which is high above the water, but not too far from it that dragging the boat will be difficult. Once I get to the water I take a couple of minutes to figure out how this damn thing works and head in the general direction of Lucas' location.

It's surreal, to say the least. At first I'm floating along flooded streets that have become canals, very reminiscent of Venice, but soon I'm floating level with the second story windows of houses, or the roofs of single story buildings. I'm beginning to think that Nick is going to have to mobilize more than the local vampires and chosen if he wants to save his adopted home from a major catastrophe. Half an hour later, I'm well on the way to thinking that anything Nick does is going to be too little, too late. Already I've passed several bodies and I'm sure there are more trapped inside these buildings.

The water gets deeper and deeper and is full of debris, tree branches, cars even and often coated in a film of oil or gas from cars and such which have been destroyed by the hurricane. I'm glad I have the boat, not only because of the depth but because this water could do you some serious damage if you swallowed it. At last I see a house with people on the roof, three adults and two, no three kids, one is just a babe in arms and I missed him the first time I looked. One of the adults is Lucas so I steer towards them. Scarily I'm only a few feet below them, which since they're on the roof of the house is a frightening thought.

*

We make it to the roof just in time, the water rushing in right at our heels, the children are scared and even the baby picks it up and starts wailing at the top of her lungs. Leroy holds Sarah close, whispering that it's going to be ok but neither of them looks like they believe it. I get closer and try to reassure them.

"My family knows I'm missing and they are a very stubborn bunch, I know they will send somebody over as soon as they can. I promise, you and the children will be fine." They don't look too convinced but at least I gave them a little spark of hope.

I know that Joe will come looking for me and even though I'm not looking forward to that confrontation I cannot help myself from hoping he was already here. I go back to telling Dalton and Bethany more stories, this time the adventures I heard from one vampire or another since Joe and I came to live at the Manor. When I look up the next time I realize it's starting to get late, it's already past 6pm and I hope Joe is going to hurry up because it'll get dark in just a couple of hours. I have barely finished that thought when I see a yellow emergency raft turn the corner of a nearby building and my heart jumps when I recognize my Joe. He sees us and starts making his way over.

I barely wait for the boat to come to a halt before I start yelling at Lucas.

*

"Why the hell would you try driving through a category five hurricane on a motorbike?" I ask impatiently. Damn it doesn't he understand that he could have been hurt?

He points at me and says softly, "I was trying to get to my mate."

I run my hands through my hair in frustration.

"Lucas! I was perfectly safe, warm and happy where I was, as you would have been if you'd stayed with Giles. I didn't need or want you to drive across half of New Orleans to find me. We don't need to be joined at the hip twenty-four seven!"

He pouts at me and drops to sit cross-legged on the roof.

"Fine, I'm an idiot," he says grumpily.

"At last we agree on something," I snap back at him.

"Sure we do, but wait I thought I was supposed to be the screw up and you're the idiot for still sticking around with said screw up," he says managing to sound hurt and sarcastic all at the same time.

He brings his knees up to his chest and wraps his arms around them, looking totally dejected. Normally this is the point where I cave in and take him in my arms, but this time I am far too upset and scared to do so. I glare at him.

"I'm not going to stop being pissed just because you look miserable. Not this time. You could have got yourself killed. You worried a lot of people unnecessarily and I wouldn't be out here in the flood if you had just listened to someone else for once instead of heading off and doing what you want without once considering the consequences."

I don't mean to sound so harsh, but he never thinks of the possible results before he does stuff and one of these days he's going to get himself into something I can't get him out of and the thought of that terrifies me.

*

I glare back. "Fine then." I snap back at him.

I make as if to turn around, but turn back to Joe angrily. "You say we don't have to be joined at the hip right? Well you are not the one that feels feels... this.." I come to a halt, at a loss to describe what is between us right now, knowing and feeling he is my mate, but not being bonded with him yet.

"This pull to be with you. It's like I'm a stupid dog with a leash and every time you're not there it tags a little harder." I glare at him again and shut my mouth quickly, I know it sounds stupid, even to my own ears, but it is the way I feel.

While we were arguing Leroy has climbed into the raft, I move away from Joe before I say something else stupid and help Sarah and the baby to step on board and then I carefully pass them Bethany and Devon. Joe actually growls at me.

"Just get in the damn boat. I don't know why you think you're old enough to make a commitment like that when you can't even learn to think before you act. I am heartily sick of you assuming I'll be here to pick up the pieces whenever you screw up again. Just once it would be nice if you'd try not to make the mess in the first place so I don't have to clean it up. You want me to believe that you're serious about this ... thing perhaps you could try not acting like a five year old occasionally."

I hope my glaring actually hides the stabbing pain that those words send right through my heart. I climb into the boat and sit on a side since I have no idea what to do to help maneuver; I pick up Bethany and hold her on my lap since we're short of room with the seven of us squeezed in the raft. I start telling the children more stories in an effort to distract them from the increasing number of bodies flowing down the river and I do my best to ignore the pain Joe caused with his angry words.

*

I busy myself with getting the boat moving back towards the car and make a determined effort to ignore Lucas. I'm not ready to let go of my anger and soothe Lucas' hurts away right now and I know if I look at him I won't be able to resist taking him in my arms and telling him how much I love him and how much he scares me sometimes. Not only because he could get hurt, but because it really does make me realise how young and inexperienced he is. Far too young to tie himself to anyone for life, especially when that's such a long time for a vampire.

I know I love him and I always will, but he's so young, he can't possibly know how he feels. He relies on me to protect him and he has for so long that I'm scared one day he'll wake up and realise that's all it is and regret tying himself to me. It's not just that I'm quite a bit older than him, somehow when you deal with vampires on a daily basis fifteen years doesn't seem so significant any more. But he has so much potential, he's so bright and he could do so much and I'm a middle-aged record storeowner, and I'm only that because Lucas pushed me into buying the place.

I turn my attention to answering a question Dalton has asked and I don't realise Bethany has got up and moved towards the edge of the boat. Leroy and Sarah are too distraught staring at the destruction left behind by Katrina to notice her leaning close to the edge of the raft until we hear a scream and a splash. I look up and immediately realise what is going on

*

"Bethany!" I shout, and jump into the water after her.

I feel the blood drain from my face when Lucas leaps into the water. I struggle to turn the boat around and keep it close - but not too close to Lucas and the little girl.

"Lucas!" I call as he disappears below the water to try and grab the girl. I feel sick with fear when I lose sight of him and I hold my breath, praying that they will both be all right.

I look around under the water, trying to find Bethany. The water is full of chemicals spilled from the houses and cars washed over by the hurricane and I can feel my eyes burning. I see the flutter of a yellow dress a little way ahead and swim towards it. Reaching out, I grab a small hand, pulling and kicking until we are above the surface again.

"Beth are you ok? Beth?" I say loudly.

She starts coughing and spluttering and I heave a sigh of relief. "Are you with me little princess?" I ask.

She nods weakly. "Good then let's get you back to your mommy and daddy." I start swimming back towards the raft when I see a large piece of debris coming in our direction at fairly high speed.

"Shit!" I think. I react instinctively and turn around to protect Bethany, taking the full blow of what feels like a tree. When it hits me I feel a stabbing pain in my ribs and side.

*

I see the tree speeding towards Lucas and shout out a warning, but it's too late. I watch in horror as it hits him and, with Leroy's help, I manage to manoeuvre the raft closer to them. Leaning out dangerously far I manage to grab Lucas. That's when I see the damage the tree did to him. The cuts are so deep I think I can see bone and he's bleeding profusely. I hand the kid to her frantic mother and pull Lucas closer until he can hold the edge of the boat.

"Can you climb in if I help you, baby?" I ask worriedly. I just want to take him in my arms and make the pain stop. I daren't pull him in though in case our combined weight causes the boat to tip over the boat and spill everyone into the water.

*

I nod weakly. "Yeah I think so, just hold the raft still."

I can't help but gasp in pain as I pull myself over the side, even with Joe's help it hurts like hell. I lie on the floor trying to get the pain under control, knowing that the damage must be extensive, but that it would also have probably been deadly for a human. Joe helps me to sit up.

"I'm fine the tree just tapped me, it's just a bruise," I try to reassure him, looking down and not meeting his eyes. Joe keeps his voice too quiet for the others to hear.

"Liar. Your shirt's ripped and I can see damn well it's not just a bruise. Sit quietly and I'll get you back to the Manor and you can feed." He pushes my wet hair out of my eyes. "I'm sorry. I love you," he says. I lean into my Joe's touch knowing that I can't stay mad with him, no matter what.

"I'm sorry too, it was a really stupid idea to try to beat the hurricane to come back to the Manor."

I look Joe in the eye. "I do love you." My eyes are a little watery, but I hope Joe will think it's because of the pain. I look away quickly to hide the fact that it isn't.

*

I tilt Lucas' face back up to mine and kiss him gently.

"I shouldn't have yelled at you, but you scared the crap out of me Lucas. I love you. We need to talk about this. Later," I say. I know he's still upset and I'm still angry, but on a boat, surrounded by other people, in the middle of a totally flooded New Orleans is not the place to have this conversation. I jump when someone taps me on his shoulder.

"I'm a nurse," Sarah says. "Let me see how badly hurt he is."

I try to persuade her that it's not necessary, knowing we won't be able to explain how fast he is healing, but she absolutely doesn't know how to take no for an answer.

I catch Lucas' eye and murmur, "You had to hook up with a nurse didn't you?"

*

Grinning weakly, I answer back, "Well, they sort of picked me up from the side of the road." I shrug. "Couldn't really pick and choose."

Turning to Sarah, I say, "I'm OK Sarah, really." The blood pooling under me shows that I'm lying though.

"Lucas, you are bleeding heavily, let me help you." she insists, pushing Joe aside and uncovering the wound just in time to see it starting to close slowly in front of her eyes. She gasps and pulls back.

"I don't suppose there's any way I could convince you you're hallucinating?" Joe asks hopefully. Sarah shakes her head slowly and he looks over at me.

"I think I'll let you take this one baby. I'm going to go and uh help Leroy, since he doesn't know where I parked or anything." He looks guilty as he escapes to the front of the boat.

"Coward," I mutter before sighing. I look at Sarah and try to give her my best charming look.

"Well as you saw I'm not really human, I'm a vampire, all the stories I was telling the kids during the hurricane are real. We exist, we are not afraid of sunlight and we don't go around drinking from people that don't freely offer it. We are organised in Clans and Sylum, the main Clan in the US, is located here in New Orleans," I explain hurriedly.

I try to look cute and vulnerable. "I promise none of us will hurt you in any way."

Sarah looks at me for a moment and then smiles back and hugs me. When she pulls back she gives me a stern look.

"If you had wanted to hurt us you would have had all the time you needed while we were trapped during the hurricane. Thank you so much for saving Bethany. Even if the wound is closing are you going to be OK?" she asks.

"Do you need blood?" I shake my head.

"No, I'll be fine, Joe is going to get us back to the car and then drive to Sylum Manor. I'll be able to feed when I get there. You guys are officially our Chosen Ones now. You protect us and we'll protect you and your family. You can come and stay, the Manor is out of the way from Katrina's path and most likely we'll be just fine."

*

I am listening to Lucas' explanation, but most of my attention is focused on working out where the hell the 4x4 is. The waters have risen so much that I don't recognize it at the same landscape I sailed past less than an hour ago.

"There," I shout, pointing the hill I parked on out to Leroy and he steers the boat as close as he can get it.

He and Sarah settle in the back with the kids, it's a squash, but Sarah insists Lucas take the front passenger seat so that his injuries aren't jostled any more than necessary. I slide into the driver's seat and gently stroke Lucas' face before starting the engine.

"Close your eyes and try and get some sleep, love. It's going to take us at least an hour to get back to the Manor and the roads are in a dreadful state so I daren't rush."

The journey back is even scarier than the drive to get here, partly because it's getting dark and partly because I now have my mate with me and I can see him wincing from the corner of my eye every time I swerve too sharply or hit a bump wrong. I hate causing him pain, but I just add it to the long list of things I've managed to do wrong so far today and push it to the back of my mind for now. I can't spare any of my attention for worrying about my Lucas, not when it's taking all of it to get us back to the Manor in one piece.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

I'm so tired, I'm hiding out in the highest floor of the library after two days of non stop running around, keeping all the children staying at the Manor busy and happy while their parents and all the Clan members currently here help out in the city. With everything going on and the fact my cell phone was swept away in the hurricane, I haven't managed to talk to Deb since before Katrina hit and I'm sure her and the rest of the gang are panicking about us right now. Fortunately the telephone lines at the Manor are routed through the satellite system, which means that opposed to the rest of the city we actually have a phone line at moment. I picked up one of the many cordless handsets scattered around the Manor on my way here and went looking for a quiet spot. With Giles still with the evacuated students and Speed out helping, the library is empty and I curl up on one of the soft armchairs scattered around and dial Joe's old home number.

After we left Joe decided not to sell his house but rather let Deb and AJ stay there for free, in exchange for house sitting the property. AJ and Deb, the surprise couple - for those who don't have eyes; they got together a few days after we left for New Orleans and it was about time if you ask anybody but Corey. The phone rings once and then a sleepy voice picks up, shit I didn't even realise it's nearly midnight.

"Hey Deb, it's me, Lucas." She wakes up immediately and jumps me with questions. "No we are both fine Deb, we weren't in the hurricane's direct path and we have spent the last couple of days helping out."

Neither is really a lie so I don't feel too bad but I know I have to come clean with Deb soon, she's my best friend and I hate lying to her.

We talk for a little while, about LSU and all the classes I was going to take, about the destruction left by the hurricane and how long it will take to fix everything. Then she asks me how it's going between Joe and me. For a second I'm tempted to tell her that everything is fine but I'm too tired to pretend.

"I don't know Deb. Maybe Joe shouldn't have come with me," I say in a small voice.

I don't like to worry her but I have to talk to someone about this before I explode and say something stupid to Joe. She asks me with a quiet voice.

"What is wrong Lucas?" and then I can nearly see her settling in for the duration. Deb has known me for years and she knows the only way to get something out of me is to simply wait until I'm ready.

I take a deep breath before answering. "I don't know, lately I've started thinking that maybe he only came with me because he felt guilty about Jane attacking me. I know I've done some stupid and immature things but he acts like I'm a child who cannot be trusted with his choices."

I have to stop for a moment because the last thing I want to do is to start crying while talking to Deb. She would probably jump on the first plane for New Orleans and if there isn't one quick enough she'd bully AJ into giving up his car keys and she'd be in New Orleans by tomorrow morning. Once I've pulled myself together a little I start talking again, even though my voice still sounds pretty unsteady.

"It's like he doesn't trust me to feel what I feel. I love him so much it hurts Deb and he keeps me at arms length as if I'll simply change my mind any minute." Tears start spilling and I really can't help it, I quickly dry them up with my sleeve as quietly as possible.

*

Lucas and I have been back at the Manor for two days now and have pretty much completely avoided each other. I think he's sulking, although a nagging voice at the back of my head keeps reminding me that he's probably just scared I'm going to lash out at him again like I did on the roof top. Why the hell the first words out of my mouth weren't "Thank God you're OK" is beyond me.

Eventually Horatio corners me. He's irritated, tired and overworked and he still has time to nag me about Lucas – I think he has a soft spot for my Lucas; most people who've met him develop one.

"What's the problem between you and Lucas?" he demands.

"We don't have a problem," I deny hastily. No way do I want Lucas' pseudo brother in law getting involved in our personal business. "We're fine."

"Really," he says sceptically. "Well go and find him and deal with this non-problem because he's moping around and it's upsetting Speed."

Great – my love life is now apparently run for the benefit of one Timothy Speedle.

I sigh and stomp towards the library – after making a few discreet enquiries as to where Lucas could be found. I can hear his voice so I edge closer and hope he's distracted enough by his conversation to not notice me. From the sound of it he is talking to Deb. I listen for about ten minutes. Somehow I have managed to do the complete opposite of what I was intending.

I wanted Lucas to become more independent and possibly learn that he didn't need me as much as he thought, and I ruthlessly quash the pain that thought causes, but instead I've made him think that I don't value him and that I don't want to be with him. I walk back to the library door and lock it. I stride back towards Lucas and take the phone out of his hand.

"Deb? It's Joe. Lucas will call you back later; I think I need to do some apologising. Yes. Yes I promise Deb. Later." I hang up as she continues to threaten me with things, none of which are physically possible, but I believe her when she says she'll try anyway.

I kneel in front of Lucas, who is hurriedly wiping his eyes on his sleeve and refusing to look me in the eye. I take his face in my hands and tilt it so I can see him, the pain in his eyes tears at me.

"Baby. We need to talk about this. We can talk here or in our room, whatever you want, but before we do I need you to know something. I love you. I'm not here out of some sense of responsibility or to keep you out of trouble. I'm here because I love you and there is nowhere on earth that I would rather be than here with you."

*

I still can't look at him in the eyes after he caught me crying like that but he pulls me close and whispers in my ear.

"I'm sorry I made you cry baby." At the pain and sorrow in his words I finally break down and bury my face is Joe's neck, mumbling in the skin.

"Not your fault Joe, it was a stupid idea to try and beat the hurricane, I'm sorry I scared you and everybody else." I don't think I can ever let go now that I'm in his arms and I certainly don't want to.

*

"It doesn't matter Lucas. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I was just so scared something would happen to you before I could get to you. I don't want to lose you," I explain.

"I don't want to lose you either baby, sometimes I do really stupid things, I'm sorry," he says and I feel even worse.

"And sometimes I run my mouth without considering how it's going to make you feel. I know you're an adult and I do trust you," I reply.

I lean in to gently kiss him, before asking, "Tell me what you meant about feeling you need to be near me."

I really do want to understand what he is feeling so maybe I will avoid messing up and hurting him again with my callous words. I don't understand this Bond and maybe it's about time I tried to find out instead of just dismissing it as unimportant. It could never be unimportant, not when my denial of it hurts Lucas so much.

*

I'm really not sure how to explain it to him without sounding like a lovesick puppy, which honestly it's what I feel like half the time. I don't think I can take explaining this to Joe and seeing the look of incredulity in his eyes at my story. Keeping my eyes glued to the floor I do my best to keep my voice steady and tell him what the Bond, because I know that's what it is, feels like.

"It's like a rope tied around my heart, every time you're not there it pulls, pulls harder and harder until it hurts, the longer we are apart the more it does." I shake myself, trying to make it sound not so serious.

"Look at it this way, I won't have a problem finding you when we get lost at the mall shopping for Christmas," I say with a forced chuckle.

*

I pull Lucas closer. "I'm sorry baby. I just ..." I feel so frustrated that I'm actually growling.

"I don't understand how this works. I mean I know why I love you - and it has nothing to do with any mystical soul bonding crap and then you say stuff like that and even though I don't get it I can see how it affects you." I don't like the idea of some kind of supernatural fate or destiny controlling my life.

*

"I don't know Joe." I sigh, Giles said that a semi formed Bond can be really confusing and I definitely see his point.

"I know how much I loved you before I was turned and that love is still there; but now I have this... need to be close to you, to protect you and make sure you are ok. It's not just a vague feeling; deep down I know that I'm protecting my own soul because without you I couldn't go on."

I can see he's about to say something but I need to finish this, I need him to try to understand without putting any human labels on it.

"Please don't say I don't know what I'm talking about, I might be young but this, our love or Bond, whatever you want to call it, is not going to change. Believe me baby; I'm never going to change my mind about us. I've loved you for so long now that I can't imagine a day without you much less centuries to come"

*

I run my fingers through my hair in frustration.

"If I eventually decide to let someone turn me - is this going to make any more sense then or should I just accept that it is incomprehensible?" I heave another sigh.

"It's not that I don't trust you or that I don't believe you. But ... I don't want you to wake up one morning and realise you made a huge mistake. I love you and that means protecting you - even when I'm trying to protect you from me. I sometimes think I should have stayed in New Jersey and let you come here on your own, but I'm too selfish to let you go. I want you with me for as long as I can have you. I don't want you to rush in to this - we need to take things slowly. From the moment I turned up outside your dorm everything has been hurtling forwards, with no time for either of us to think." I lean back close to him and kiss him carefully.

"I need you to be patient with me for a little longer, but I swear I will never leave you, baby."

*

I shake my head; Joe can be so stubborn sometimes as to make a donkey appear like the most docile animal. I run a hand in his hair and kiss him again before saying in a near exasperated voice.

"I'm not going to wake up one morning and suddenly realise that the person I've loved for years has no appeal to me anymore." I reach out and tilt his face up to force him to meet my eyes.

"I love you Joe and that's not going to change, I promise you with everything I am. Even without being turned I know this love is too big to be stopped by even something as definitive as death." I gently cradle his face in my hands and drop feather like kisses on every patch of skin I can reach.

"I'm here now and I will be for as long as you want me. I love you with all my heart baby and I'll wait for as long as you need me to."

*

I stand up and pull Lucas with me. Wrapping my arms around him I kiss him once more.

"What you said back on that roof top about being a screw up - you know that's not true, don't you?" I shake my head in amazement.

"One of the reasons I have so much trouble with believing this is that I know you could do so much better than me. You have such potential Lucas. You're young and far smarter than I am and you could change the world if you wanted to - and all I am is a middle-aged shopkeeper with a lousy track record when it comes to relationships. I wouldn't even be that if it weren't for you. I would never have bought Empire Records if you hadn't pushed me into it. Yes you occasionally do incredibly idiotic things - but that just makes you human. I hear Horatio drove into an exploding building a few months ago ... I get angry because I get scared - scared that you will take one risk too many and I won't be able to protect you. You always rely on me to rescue you and one day I'm going to screw up and not get there in time." I gently run a hand over the place where the tree hit him and for a moment I remember the horror and helplessness I felt seeing him hurt and bleeding.

*

I shake my head in frustration.

"Stop saying that Joe, you are an artist, a fighter, you care about people. Just look at the gang back at Empire. You rescued most of us in one way or another and cared for everybody like an older brother would. You have one of the most loving hearts I've ever seen baby, even if you try to hide it with the gruff exterior." I smile lovingly and lean closer.

"There is nobody else I would rather be with. Please believe me. And don't feel guilty for something that you had no control over baby, the important thing is that you were there and pulled me out when I needed you."

I hope this calmed his fears a little and wonder how he could ever believe I could find somebody better then him. Reaching up I wrap my arms around his neck.

"I love you Joe and I'm not going to stop telling you that until you believe me." I whisper before kissing him thoroughly.

*

I moan at the feeling of his tongue trying to map my mouth and checking my tonsils are still there. I pull him back into my arms and look in his beautiful eyes.

"I do believe you, Lucas. I might not understand it - but I believe you."

Enough with words, it's time for me to show him exactly how much I love him, I start pulling him towards the door.

"You need to feed and then we've been ordered to get some sleep. Come to bed with me, let me hold you, let me show you how glad I am that you're safe," I say, while heading towards the kitchen.

*

I follow him for a moment but when I see he's heading towards the kitchen I pull on his hand and towards our rooms. With a wicked gleam in my eyes I lean against his chest again and kiss him before pulling back slightly and nipping on his lower lip.

"Forget the dinner baby, I'm much hungrier for other things," I purr in a hoarse voice.

*

I know I should probably insist he feeds, but I want to feel him in my arms as I drive him wild. I want to see the proof that I didn't lose him to the hurricane or to my own stupidity and I don't want to waste time on trivial matters like food or sleep when we could be reaffirming our love for one another. I practically drag him into our rooms. I'm fairly certain we passed a couple of people on the way and I think I heard Warrick's unmistakable laughter – probably means they were betting on us. I shouldn't be surprised, Warrick will bet on anything although how he ever convinces anyone to bet with him when he always wins is … irrelevant right now I decide as Lucas starts shedding his clothes the second the door closes behind us. I follow his example and soon we're both naked. I pull him back into my arms and we both groan at the first touch of our naked bodies.

"Bed," I groan. "Now, Lucas."

*

The touch of Joe's body against mine is soothing to the soul, as if a part of my heart that I never knew was missing was finally returned. All of a sudden the urgency I was feeling disappears like dew at sunrise and I'm left with the peace I need to show Joe how much I really love him, and of course a raging hard on but I'm sure I'll find a way to take care of that. I intertwine my fingers with Joe and kiss him gently before giving him a blindingly loving smile.

"Hush baby, I want you to relax." I tell him while gently leading him towards the bed.

"I'm going to show you just how much I love you tonight baby." I pull him until we are lying side by side and I look deeply in those beautiful dark eyes.

"Let me make love to you Joe." I whisper before leaning in for a soul deep kiss.

*

I moan when he kisses me. For once I lay back and let him take the more active role in our lovemaking. Usually I would take over and make it all about him. I love touching him, kissing him, watching his eyes darken in passion, hearing the needy sounds he makes, knowing it's all because of me; that I'm the one making him feel like that, but this time I relinquish control to my beautiful Lucas. He touches me so gently, as if he is surprised that I would let him. I arch up underneath his caresses.

"My Lucas," I moan. "I love you so much, baby."

Suddenly nothing else matters – not our fight, not the devastation outside or the barely controlled chaos within the Manor, nothing but the two of us, in this room, together.

*

God, it's intoxicating to see Joe like this, completely giving himself over to me with abandon. With my fingers I gently trace a path from his lips, down his muscular neck and over the chest and perky nipples, stopping only to rub one fingertip lightly around the small nubs. He arches into my touch and I can't help but to lean down, take one in my mouth and lavish all my attention to the sensitive bit of flesh. Once Joe is squirming enough I move further down, this time licking and nibbling my way to his groin, where I avoid the straining flesh begging for attention and instead, after spreading Joe's legs and settling between them, I nip lightly at the inside of his thighs.

*

I run my hands gently over his back and head as he works his way down my body. He's trying to drive me insane – and it's working. When I feel his teeth on the inside of my legs I moan and spread my legs further.

"Oh God, Lucas," I groan. "I need you, baby."

He just smiles up at me, that radiant smile that I see far too rarely and that never fails to turn me to jelly, and continues teasing me. I lay my head back against the pillow and close my eyes, surrendering myself to Lucas' explorations.

*

I run my hands from his knees to his hips teasingly and, when I reach them, I lean down and gently lap the tip of his beautiful cock before softly blowing on it. I feel under my hands the shudder that runs through his body at that and I can't wait for more. I quickly reach out and grab the lube we keep under the pillows, dropping a small kiss on his lips on the way back. I finally settle back between his legs and slick up the fingers of one hand while wrapping the other around my mate's cock. Joe lets out a needy sigh and I can't help myself from slowly pumping his shaft, just to hear that sound again.

*

He strokes my cock and I can't help but moan. It's been a long time since I've done this and we've never done this before, but it feels right. I want to feel him moving inside me, claiming me, making me know where I belong and who I belong with. I spread my legs, arching off the bed towards him. I pull him down for another longer kiss as he carefully slides one finger into my body. I relax around it and press backwards, wordlessly begging for more.

*

Joe presses down on to my finger, slowly taking one more knuckle inside him, before squeezing his ass around it and the feeling of that velvety muscle tightening his grip around me is near enough to make me come right then. I barely manage to hold back and start searching for the small nub that usually makes me see stars. I know I found it when Joe practically arches clear off the bed and cries out my name, God I can definitely become addicted to this. I slip another finger inside him and gently scissor them, rubbing over his prostate as often as possible. When he's relaxed enough around my fingers I gently push in a third, his broken moans now falling non stop from those delicious lips. He looks so beautiful spread out like this in front of me, back arched, panting and whimpering in pleasure, and I bend down and take him in a kiss that tries to convey both my love and my need to claim him as mine.

*

I moan into the kiss and hold his head in place as I plunder his delicious mouth. I have this need inside me to feel him claiming me and I can't wait any longer. "Please?" I beg. Lucas lines himself up and slowly slides inside me, staring down into my eyes the entire time. I lose myself in his intense gaze and in the feel of him inside me. I squeeze down around him and he cries out, driving the rest of the way inside me. He hits my prostate as he does so and I see stars.

*

I'm finally buried inside him and it feels utterly perfect, I never want this to end but after a few moments I can't hold still anymore and I slowly start thrusting in and out Joe's tight passage. He feels so good around me and the need to claim him is becoming overwhelming, so much so that I feel myself fanging up all of a sudden and I near panic. I can't believe I'm doing this after promising him no longer then an hour ago that I would wait for as long as he needed me to. I try to avert my face and regain some control but Joe notices it and gently cradles my face between his hands and tilts it up until I have to meet his eyes.

*

I can feel him thrusting inside me and I thrust back against him eagerly. I need this, I need to feel him making me his, irrevocably. Lucas' face changes suddenly and he looks away from me. I take his face in my hand and turn it back towards me.

"Don't look away from me, baby," I say hoarsely. "You're so beautiful like this."

I tip my head back, baring my neck to him.

"I need to feel you, Lucas," I moan.

*

I can hear his heart hammering and his blood rushing through his veins; it's so close to the surface at the exposed neck. I feel the irresistible pull of the Bond crying out to me but I promised him. I promised I would not push him into something he's not ready for and I know he's not ready for this, for the Bond to start tying us so closely together, intertwining our souls so that one cannot exist without the other. I manage to claim some control back and pull back slightly.

"I can't baby, you have no idea how much I want to make you mine right now, but if I drink from you it will start the Bonding. I promised you I would wait until you were sure and I'm not going to break that promise."

*

I hear his words, but I'm so lost in the feel of him I don't really pay them much attention, other than to register that he is saying no. I pull him down and kiss him hard, running my tongue over his fangs. I wince when I snag my tongue on them, but then he sucks on it, soothing the pain and I moan again. I run my hands along his back, scratching him with my nails. When I reach his ass I pull him in hard and squeeze my muscles around him.

"I need you baby," I groan.

*

Whatever rational objection I might have had is completely lost the moment his taste floods my mouth. I groan loudly when he clamps his ass down around me and nearly come, but that small taste shows me exactly what I need, with a nearly feral growl I start pounding into him with abandon before leaning down and slipping my fangs into his pulse point. All it takes is one swallow of his blood for the feeling to overwhelm me and I'm coming like I've never done before. At that moment I can feel the ties of the Bond starting to fall in place and I sigh in happiness, knowing we will soon be bonded forever.

*

The feel of his fangs in my throat tips me over the edge. I float on a haze of love and satisfaction. When I come back to myself Lucas is lapping at the wound on my throat, healing it. I hold him close and the realization comes over me that I just encouraged him to start the Bond. I freeze as if I've been hit with a wave of icy water.

"Baby, Lucas, I …" I start hesitantly.

*

I'm floating in happiness right now, the Bond humming with love but his body language and the tone of his voice make me freeze like a deer in the headlights. I'm brought crashing back into reality and I can't believe what I just did. I broke my promise to him. Maybe Joe isn't wrong when he treats me like a five years old since I seem to have the will power of one. I pull back quickly and hope I haven't just screwed this up.

"I'm sorry Joe, I didn't mean to drink from you. I'm so sorry baby, I promised I wouldn't push you and then I do something like this," I stutter.

*

I thought that the effects of a Bond were supposed to be limited to the vampire half of a couple, but I swear I can feel his fear and pain right now.

"Hush, baby, don't," I say soothingly, pulling him close again.

"It's all right. It's not your fault. I told you to do it and I'm sorry, because I'm not ready to be turned yet. I needed to feel you and I wasn't thinking of the consequences. I need you to be patient for a little while longer, until I feel ready and I shouldn't have let you start the bond until then." I kiss him again.

"This isn't your fault and I'm not blaming you for it. I don't want you to feel like I'm trying to hurt you by making you wait, but I can't let you rush me into being turned, even after I rushed you into this. You know me, baby, I need to feel like I'm in control, but I promise I won't make you wait too long and I need you to promise that you'll tell me if waiting is too difficult for you. I won't let you get hurt because of my insecurities."

That's my biggest fear – that Lucas will get hurt because of something I do. Before it was a fear that he would get emotionally hurt if I let him rush into this and now it's that the waiting will hurt him and he won't tell me about it. Somehow the fear of him not being sure about his feelings for me has been soothed and it feels like a stupid thing to fear now anyway. I know Lucas loves me, deep down inside me; it's something I would bet the store on. I wince at that thought; that is assuming my new store isn't under a couple of metres of filthy water right now.

*

His words are like a balm, soothing my sudden terror of having, once again, messed up the only good thing I have going in my life. I still feel a little twinge of guilt but ignore it for Joe's benefit.

"It's alright baby, I meant what I promised you earlier, I will wait as long as you need to come to terms with being turned." I say softy.

I know he asked but I am not going to give him my word that I won't hold out as long as I possibly can to give him time to adjust to our new world, because I know I won't keep it. Since I already broke a promise today I don't want to risk any repeat performances. There is one last thing I want to try before letting go and resting in my lover's arms. I concentrate and send a wave of love over our tenuous Bond, I know Joe felt it when I hear him gasp and tighten his grip around me. I can finally lay my head down on his chest and sigh happily, lulled into sleep by the rhythmic beating of my love's heart, knowing we are finally on the same page about our love for each other. My last bittersweet thought before drifting off is that some day soon that heart will stop beating only to be frozen in time, finally able to spend eternity with his already unbeating mate resting inside my chest.


End file.
